configure xorg for flat panel

[Alex Deucher]

On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 3:29 PM, PJ <af.gourmet at videotron.ca> wrote:
> Alex Deucher wrote:
>> On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 7:10 AM, PJ <af.gourmet at videotron.ca> wrote:
>>
>>> PJ wrote:
>>>
>>>> Somehow, the web does show there are problems setting up flat panels but
>>>> I have found no solutions.
>>>> FreeBSD 7.2, Xorg 1.6 something - it's the latest for FBSD, driver is nv
>>>> (Nvidia) FX5600, the monitor is LG W2361.
>>>> I cannot find any errors in /var/log/Xorg.0.log
>>>> # Xorg -config xorg.conf.new
>>>> produces only a black screen regardless of what mouse I may be using -
>>>> the mouse setup is always "auto" and "sysmouse" - the log shows
>>>> "Silkenmouse" enabled (At the moment it is an IBM usb with button (cute
>>>> blue) :-)
>>>> the keyboard - same stuff: specify an "us,ca" keyboard or leave it as
>>>> default...
>>>> Same for the mode of the monitor same non-functionality as DVI or as
>>>> DSUB - digital or analog.
>>>> "AllowEmptyInput" "off" only prevents getting out of the test mode -
>>>> even ctl/Alt/Del does not respond.
>>>> The log shows that the monitor is being detected correctly; the
>>>> parameters for the monitor are displayed correctly... but there is no
>>>> mouse, no keyboard, no image
>>>> "DontZap" has no discernible effect.
>>>> hal is on
>>>> I have no problems with Xorg on this machine or another with analog
>>>> monitors. All work just fine.
>>>> Xorg just plain refuses to start... yet the monitor works fine on XP as
>>>> digital or analog and works in dual mode with another analog monitor.
>>>> And, yes I did read the manual and did try various options suggested on
>>>> the web....
>>>> So what's the story here?
>>>> I tried to avoid bothering the list, but this is getting a little
>>>> ridiculous.
>>>> Oh, yes, at one point when shutting down with ctl/alt/del there was a
>>>> very clear X in the middle of the screen - but it would not move and
>>>> then the machine rebooted.
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> xorg mailing list
>>>> xorg at lists.freedesktop.org
>>>> http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/xorg
>>>>
>>>>
>>> I see no one seems to know anything about flat panels on Xorg.
>>>
>>> Well, I did get it up and running, but no thanks to any information in
>>> either the xorg or freebsd manuals...
>>>
>>> I accidentally ran startx and to my great surprise the screen came up
>>> with fluxbox and did work, albeit very sporadically... it kept going
>>> black and sort-of flickered.
>>> I shutdown and checked the log and lo and behold, the configuration file
>>> was one I had forgotten about that came from another computer from where
>>> the current disk was cloned.
>>> So, with a little tweaking, the thing now works - but the what and the
>>> why excape me completely.
>>> The configurations does not need any parameters for horiz or vertical
>>> scanning - only the screen depth and monitor size. I guess the name of
>>> the manufacturer and the model are irrelevant. Oh yes, the
>>> AllowEmptyInput had to be "off" ; �the DontZap was also "off"
>>> Setting the FlatPanel settings (3 of them) to "True" does not seem to
>>> make any difference whether they are T of F.
>>> So, although it now works, configuration is still a total mystery.
>>> Does anyone understand just what is going on or are we just groping in
>>> the dark along with our blind leaders?
>>>
>>
>> Most drivers get the modes out of the edid provided by the monitor.
>> Digital monitors tend to be very picky about the timing they get, so
>> if the mode info you were providing was different than that preferred
>> modes in the edid, that would explain the problems.
>>
> Actually, I did provide timing that was supposed to be supported
> according to what was probed by FreeBSD or was it Xorg...
>
> But this does not explain why hal did not function correctly... as far
> as I can see, hal is a piece of crap. It has never fuctioned on any of
> my installations, and there have been several. I really am offended for
> being taken as a guinea pig for some greenhorn programmers who don't
> have common sense. So far, it looks like the only way to get things
> running with Xorg is by "blind man's bluff" - grope and poke and hope
> something works.
>
>

HAL doesn't do anything WRT to the video driver.  Your best bet is to
not use a config file and to let the driver probe the hardware
directly.  User intervention generally causes problems as was the case
in your situation.

Alex